Belt’s Shot Put Win Highlights Trojans Day at Valentine Invite

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Little Rock Athletics Department

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – A victory by Jason Belt in the men’s shot put highlighted the UALR men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams’ day at the Middle Tennessee-hosted Valentine Invitational on Saturday at the Murphy Center. In all, UALR totaled ten top-five finishes on Saturday.

UALR produced a number of strong field performances on Saturday, led by Belt winning the men’s shot put with a toss of 14.11m. Belt added to his day by finishing second in the finals of the men’s weight throw (17.09m).

In other throwing events, Rebekah Grissom (12.38m) and Melissa Chunn (12.04m) placed third and fourth, respectively, in the women’s shot put.

Taron Dunn placed second in the men’s triple jump (14.74m). Dunn also placed fifth in the men’s long jump (6.60m). Troy Smith placed fifth in the men’s high jump (1.83m).

The Trojans had several strong showings in the women’s sprint events. Tachara Thomas finished second in the finals of the women’s 55m dash (7.27), while teammate Kiara Taylor (8.01) placed sixth in the same race. Ashtin Boykin placed third in the women’s 55m hurdles (8.48) and Thomas (26.25) and Boykin (26.52) placed eighth and ninth, respectively, in the finals of the women’s 200m dash. Baylee Daves (1:02.54) and Brittney Brasuell (1:03.68) placed 13th and 14th, respectively, in the women’s 400m run.

Dalton Richey (4:33.82) and Caleb DeLaPaz (4:36.16) placed 13th and 14th, respectively in the men’s mile run.

Basil Rogers placed sixth in the finals of the men’s 55m dash (6.62). Casey Lane (50.93) placed seventh in the finals of the men’s 400m run.

UALR put three finishers in the top ten of both the men’s and women’s 3,000m runs. Shaun Koehn (8:37.78) placed second in the finals of the men’s 3,000m run. Felix Maritim (8:49.48) placed sixth and John Vodacek (9:09.49) finished tenth. In the women’s event, Mackenzie Bloom (10:36.27), Tori Copeland (10:39.19) and Marissa DeLaPaz (10:41.78) placed eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively.

UALR returns to action with the Sun Belt Indoor Championships in Jonesboro, Ark., on Feb. 24-25.

 

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